Most teams are familiar with SEO. Some are starting to hear about AEO. Fewer understand GEO, but it’s quickly becoming the most important layer.
Here’s the simple breakdown:
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Helps content rank in search results
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Structures content so AI tools can pull direct answers
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Influences what AI systems actually say about your brand when generating responses
The shift matters because AI tools increasingly answer questions directly, often without sending users to a website. When someone asks, “Who’s the best option for X?” or “What should I know about Y?”, AI is synthesizing responses from sources it trusts. If your narrative isn’t present, someone else’s is.
What we’re seeing across industries is that AI heavily prioritizes:
- Earned media from high-authority outlets
- Well-structured press releases and thought leadership
- Consistent messaging across trusted sources, not one-off content
In practice, GEO is about understanding the questions AI is being asked, how often your brand appears in those answers, and intentionally shaping the sources and messages AI pulls from.
If you don’t know how your brand is showing up in AI-generated answers today, that’s usually the best place to start. We typically begin by auditing the questions AI is being asked, the sources it’s pulling from, and where client messages are and aren’t showing up. That information then serves as a benchmark for optimizations to increase a brand’s prominence in responses.